How to quickly switch and force-close apps with the fourth-gen Apple TV
Multitasking on the new Apple TV is more iOS-like than ever, thanks to the inclusion of a new dedicated home button on the Siri Remote that functions largely identical to the iPhone and iPad.
The revamped Siri Remote retains the Menu button from the previous Apple Remote, but also gains a new home button to its right. While the Menu button takes users back one menu within an app, the Home button is a quick and easy way to return to the tvOS home screen, where apps can be found.
But jumping back to the home screen isn't necessary for switching apps: Just like on an iPhone, users can double-press the Apple TV Home button to pull up a list of recently opened apps.
All recently opened Apple TV apps are presented in a pop-over menu from left to right. By using the Siri Remote trackpad, users can scroll to the right to quickly jump to their favorite app.
In another feature brought over from iOS, users can also swipe up on the trackpad when an app is selected to force-close the app. As with the iPhone and iPad, some apps will intelligently run in the background to complete tasks, and Apple offers the option to force close them to fix potential problems when an app may be stuck or has crashed.
Finally, tvOS also includes a quick and easy way to put the Apple TV to sleep, also utilizing the new Home button. Simply press and hold the button on the Siri remote and tvOS will present the option to put the set-top box to into sleep mode.
The revamped Siri Remote retains the Menu button from the previous Apple Remote, but also gains a new home button to its right. While the Menu button takes users back one menu within an app, the Home button is a quick and easy way to return to the tvOS home screen, where apps can be found.
But jumping back to the home screen isn't necessary for switching apps: Just like on an iPhone, users can double-press the Apple TV Home button to pull up a list of recently opened apps.
All recently opened Apple TV apps are presented in a pop-over menu from left to right. By using the Siri Remote trackpad, users can scroll to the right to quickly jump to their favorite app.
In another feature brought over from iOS, users can also swipe up on the trackpad when an app is selected to force-close the app. As with the iPhone and iPad, some apps will intelligently run in the background to complete tasks, and Apple offers the option to force close them to fix potential problems when an app may be stuck or has crashed.
Finally, tvOS also includes a quick and easy way to put the Apple TV to sleep, also utilizing the new Home button. Simply press and hold the button on the Siri remote and tvOS will present the option to put the set-top box to into sleep mode.
Comments
How do you turn off the AppleTV? Or does it turn off by itself? Or do I just put it in sleep mode?
It has two modes: "awake" and "sleep". To turn it "off" you unplug it from the wall. It will go to sleep after a selectable amount of time or by pressing and holding the home button then clicking the trackpad to select "Sleep" which also sends an "off" signal to other components over HDMI-CEC.
Enquiring minds want to know.
Force quit is when you make it happen with your Jedi mind powers.
It has two modes: "awake" and "sleep". To turn it "off" you unplug it from the wall. It will go to sleep after a selectable amount of time or by pressing and holding the home button then clicking the trackpad to select "Sleep" which also sends an "off" signal to other components over HDMI-CEC.
I would hope sending an "off" signal to other devices is defeatable. Just because I'm done with the ATV does not mean I want to turn the TV off.
I would hope sending an "off" signal to other devices is defeatable. Just because I'm done with the ATV does not mean I want to turn the TV off.
It is a selectable option.
Is it technically "force" quitting like on the Mac, or a regular Quit command. I would hope that it's a regular quit so to give it a chance to do some housekeeping.
Enquiring minds want to know.
Think iOS because that’s what it is.
I would hope sending an "off" signal to other devices is defeatable. Just because I'm done with the ATV does not mean I want to turn the TV off.
I set my TV (Samsung Smart TV) to not respond to an HDMI-CEC “off" signal. I believe it will be a function of the TV, not the ATV4. Samsung calls CEC “Anynet+” and other TV makers might have different names for the protocol.
Because you're actually force quitting the app when you choose to remove it from FAS, if it's still running. If a crashed app is missing data it means there were issues before it crashed while you thought it was still running fine.
I would hope sending an "off" signal to other devices is defeatable. Just because I'm done with the ATV does not mean I want to turn the TV off.
I understand what you are saying, but I like keeping this feature turned on. Just because you're done with the ATV does not mean you need to put it in sleep mode. Just change your input and you ATV will eventually go to sleep on its own, depending on the sleep time you specify in settings. The reason I like to keep the feature turned on is because if I want to use my ATV, and everything is turned off, clicking the home button on the Siri remote will turn on my TV and receiver and change everything to the correct input. Or, if I am watching OTA programming on my HD antenna and want to switch to the ATV, all I have to do is click the home button on the ATV remote and the TV and receiver will automatically switch to the correct input. This is much simpler than changing the input on both my receiver and TV remotes every time I want to use the ATV.
Once again the force quit terminology... Why not presume standard quit instead, since that's the least destructive and most common user accessible function? An actual "Force quit", as in process termination, bypasses quit procedures and can result in lost data. Manually quitting apps in iOS doesn't seem to lose data like a crashed app.
Right! It’s not a “force quit.” In case anyone hasn’t noticed tvOS is very much like iOS in the way you rearrange and quit apps. It appears to multitask just like iOS. Apps stay open in the background just like iOS. Double punch the Home button and you get all the apps you have opened just like iOS.
I wonder if it can be connected directly to a Mac to run Disk Warrior after a power chord is pulled out?
Once that ?TV see that Samsung TV all bets are off!
I set my TV (Samsung Smart TV) to not respond to an HDMI-CEC “off" signal. I believe it will be a function of the TV, not the ATV4. Samsung calls CEC “Anynet+” and other TV makers might have different names for the protocol.
AppleTV getting HDMI-CEC support is HUGE news (they should have done this long ago). Instead of having to use a box to switch inputs to the TV, CEC allows the AppleTV to be the command center of it all, notwithstanding the fact that the wiring is star-shaped with the TV itself as the central hub.
Switching an input device on, may (usefully) tell the TV to wake up and switch to that input. However, switching off a device is NOT supposed to make the TV sleep (and it often does). It is OK if when switching off the TV, all inputs go to sleep. Complicated. I am the only one in the family who gets it.
But if the AppleTV were to be the only device one has to control, things would get a lot simpler.
1) I'm very surprised at how old some of the TVs are that support CEC.
2) I'm under the impression that if you tell the appliance to Sleep then it does tell the TV to also Sleep, as opposed to simply choosing a different Source which should switch the input and tell that other appliance to wake up.
Not necessarily a full list.